In 2008, the incidence of identity fraud rose for the first time in five years, to nearly 10 million victims up from 8.1 million in 2007.

The Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Sentinel Network received over 1.2 million complaints in 2008: 52 percent on fraud, 26 percent on identity theft, and 22 percent about other matters.

In 2008, the FTC received 643,195 fraud complaints, with reported losses of more than $1.8 billion. The median loss was $440.

For all fraud complaints to the FTC in 2008, 63 percent of scammers made initial contact with the victim over the Internet (52 percent by e-mail and 11 percent through a Web site).Only 7 percent of first contacts were made by phone.

The largest group of fraud victims were ages 40 to 49 (26 percent). Eight percent of victims were age 60 or older.

Of those who reported crimes to the Federal Trade Commission in 2008, people ages 60 and over made up 8 percent of fraud victims and 12 percent of identity theft victims.

In 2008, a lost or stolen wallet, checkbook, or credit card was the primary source of personal information theft in the 35 percent of cases where the victim could identify the source of data compromise.

Of identity theft cases where the perpetrator was identified, 13 percent were cases of "friendly theft," perpetrated by friends, family members, or in-home employees.

In 2006, 45 percent of identity theft victims discovered the misuse of information less than one month after the first occurrence. Sixty-nine percent of victims discovered it within the first year, and 11 percent of identity theft victims did not discover the crime for two to four years.

The largest groups of identity theft victims were ages 20 to 29 (24 percent) and 30 to 39 (23 percent). Twelve percent of victims were ages 60 and older.

In 2007, 17 percent of identity theft victims reported that the perpetrator had used their information in non-financial ways such as using the victim's name when caught committing a crime, using the victim's name to obtain government documents such as a driver's license or Social Security card, or using the victim's name to rent housing, obtain medical care, or file a fraudulent tax return.